About the SEED Awards

Applications closed on 8 March 2017

What are the SEED Awards?

The SEED Awards for Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Development is an annual awards scheme designed to find the most promising, innovative and locally led start-up eco-inclusive enterprises in countries with developing and emerging economies. The independent SEED International Jury of experts selects enterprises which have the potential to make real improvements in poverty eradication and environmental sustainability while contributing to a greener economy.

Is your enterprise small, locally driven and eco-inclusive with an ambition

to be in the vanguard of green and inclusive growth?

Does your enterprise need tailored support to grow to its full potential?

The Call for Applications for the 2017 SWITCH Africa Green-SEED Awards closed on 8 March 2017!

2017 SWITCH Africa Green - SEED Awards

Deadline: 8 March 2017, 23:59 (CAT)

This year up to 15 SAG-SEED Awards are available. If you meet SEED's eligibility criteria, you can apply for the 2017 SAG-SEED Awards.

Who can apply?

For the 2017 SAG-SEED Awards, the call for application is open to enterprises within the six focus countries listed below and are active in the following four sectors:

Countries:

Sectors:

Agriculture Manufacturing Tourism Waste Management

What do enterprises win?

No two enterprises are the same, either internally or as regards to their operating environment. SEED offers each SAG-SEED Award Winner a customised support package consisting of tools, capacity building, profiling and network building, all tailored to their individual needs. Details of the four components of the SEED Support are:

Capacity Building: tailored one-on-one advisory service that offers Winners assistance with their business and financial plan, including a 3-day Business Planning Workshop and three month support from a local expert advisor.

Tools: self-help tools that enable enterprises prioritise and address their most urgent needs, for example by assisting with market analysis, developing a funding strategy, mapping stakeholder relationships or measuring impact.

Profiling: SAG-SEED Winners are profiled nationally and regionally through a high-level Awards Ceremony as well as internationally through SEED marketing and promotional activities such as our website, blog and social media channels.

Network Building: SEED facilitates connections with valuable contacts to support organisations, such as with funders, policy-makers, other enterprises such as SEED Alumni, and SEED Partners and Associates.

Call for applications closed on 8 March 2017, 23:59 Central African Time (CAT). All the Winners will be profiled at the National Dialogue Fora throughout Africa.

Further details about the 2017 SEED Awards

Up to fifteen SAG-SEED Awards in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa and Uganda are sponsored by the SWITCH-Africa Green project, which is implemented by UNEP with the assistance of the European Union:

SWITCH-Africa Green is implemented by UNEP with the assistance of the European Union. The European Union is made up of 28 Member States who have decided to gradually link together their know-how, resources and destinies. Together, during a period of enlargement of 50 years, they have built a zone of stability, democracy and sustainable development whilst maintaining cultural diversity, tolerance and individual freedoms. The European Union is committed to sharing its achievements and its values with countries and peoples beyond its borders.

South African Awards will be co-financed by the Government of Flanders:

The Government of Flanders is active in Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa. It works not only with the local authorities, but also with indirect actors such as NGOs, research institutes and international organizations. In South Africa, the focus is on job creation through Small Enterprise Development, and improving food security through smallholder farming. As from 2017 the focus will move towards addressing climate change and its effects on South Africa.

For any queries, please see the most Frequently Asked Questions. If your question is not in the in the FAQs or if you are unable to submit your application electronically, please contact SEED Team at seedawards2017@seed.uno or contact by phone (+49 89 248830714) or fax (+49 89 248830770).